Let's go hiking! (EN)

I got an opportunity to attend a "hiking course" at school. It included 32 kilometres long track and sleeping in tents for two nights in forests near Kuusamo. "Why not?" - I told myself. Even though, I was a little scared, I was really excited. Like a little child. Me, my sister and Essi got everything ready. We bought many sweets and much food, tried out tent building, problems with packing up was solved by sentence: If it doesn't fit, use force. And it somehow worked.

Thursday, September 1st, the first time I saw northern lights:

All the adventurers boarded the bus at 12. The drive took approximately four hours. We stopped once and enjoyed our last coffee. When we got closer to Kuusamo I was so amazed by raindeers running next to our bus. Then we got off, filled our waterbottles, used flushing toilet, put on our heavy backpacks and walked through nine kilometres of forest, which was something like "course warm up". When we got to our first checkpoint we built our tents, made some food, some people jumped into the river and we were sitting, talking, laughing and heating up at the bonfire. Then someone shouted, that it's possible to see northern lights at the moment. We all ran to the shore, so we could enjoy the view. Definitely one of the most beautiful nights of my life.

Friday, September 2nd,  the first time I saw reindeers in wilderness and swam in a cold water of river:

We woke up at 8:30, made porridge for breakfast, packed up tents and the longest track of the course started. As soon as we started walking we saw a family of reindeers. They're not scared of people at all, because they feed them. The track was muddy and wet, but I didn't mind, I was still enjoying beauties of Finnish nature. We took a small break to cook our lunch and thanks to weather forecast, we were not surprised by rain. Luckily we were only five kilometres from the other checkpoint, where we were supposed to spend the night. By the time wi came there, the rain stopped so it was easier for us to build our tents. Even aurinko (Sun, my favourite Finnish word) was shining a little. I was convinced to jump into the river. It was so warm after I came out. We were sitting at the bonfire for the rest of the night. It was a wonderful night. Tired from walking we fell asleep and slept through the coldest night of the course.

Sunday, September 3rd, the first time I actually realized how beautiful Finland is:

We had to wake up early in the morning. Coldness did it sooner than alarm. We ate breakfast, packed up our tents and went on the hardest but the most beautiful track. We have defeated 400 stairs, bridge through river and high ascent. I couldn't stop looking at the beauty of Finnish nature. After few hours we came to Base Camp and finally ordered kahvi (coffee) like zombies. We sat down in the bus and fell asleep. Then we stopped once in Hesburger, to get some junk food. It tasted so good.

Few words at the end:

3 days. 2 nights in tents. 32 kilometres of track. Exhausted, sweaty, stinky, with bruises and sore in our legs and thousand mosquito bites we returned home safely. It was worth it. Group of wonderful people. One of the most amazing expiriences of my life. This convinced me again. I chose right. I love Finland. And shower. And bed. That's all I wanted to say.

Heippa!